Hywel Thomas Bennett (born 8 April 1944) is a Welsh actor.
Bennett was born in Garnant, Carmarthenshire, Wales, the son of Sarah Gwen (née Lewis) and Gorden Bennett. Raised in London from an early age, he attended Henry Thornton Grammar School, Clapham and RADA. With a number of major early film roles, Bennett is best known to modern audiences for his appearances on British television. He played small parts in Doctor Who and The Sweeney. He starred in The Virgin Soldiers, Shelley, Percy and the film adaptation of Loot by Joe Orton.
He played major parts in several Dennis Potter television plays, including Pennies From Heaven, Cold Lazarus and Karaoke. He was also a colorful villain in Neil Gaiman’s miniseries Neverwhere. And his character, Ricki Tarr, was pivotal in the 1979 BBC miniseries based on the John le Carré novel, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. He also appeared in Lock, Stock… as “Deep Throat”
In 2003 he joined the cast of long running soap opera EastEnders as Jack Dalton, a gangland boss; and has appeared as an occasional character, Peter Baxter, on The Bill.
From 1967-88 Bennett was married to Cathy McGowan, best known as the presenter of the TV rock show Ready Steady Go! in the mid 1960s.
